New pass interference reviews have led to a lot of confusion

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When yellow flag flew for defensive pass interference on Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes in a recent game, coach Mike Zimmer immediately contested call.

His newfound right to seek a replay, however, went unexercised. email Zimmer received earlier in day from NFL, containing current statistics on experimental penalty reviews, had already dashed that hope.

“y haven’t overturned any, so I said, ‘Screw it,’” Zimmer said after Minnesota beat Washington on Oct. 24.

ne of 11 reviews of defensive pass interference calls around league over first nine weeks of season resulted in a reversal, with officials ordered to adhere to a standard of “clear and obvious visual evidence” for any overturns. re were 63 pass interference replay reviews overall, including 26 for offense and 37 for defense and 22 for calls and 41 for n-calls. Only nine resulted in a reversal.

“We are challenging things that we think are plays that are going to be overturned, and we are going to trust process,” Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. “But so far, I’ve been given Heisman. I’ve been stiff armed. I’m 0 for 27, I think.”

Exaggeration aside, Gruden has twice been denied attempts to have n-calls turned into defensive pass interference and twice trying to erase an offensive pass interference penalty. t even guidance of former NFL referee Gerry Austin, who worked on three Super Bowl crews and was hired by Raiders as an officiating adviser, has been able to help Gruden get results from his red flag.

“I never get any popularity points when I say this, especially with league, but it’s an overreaction to one play,” said former NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira, who’s w a rules analyst for Fox Sports.

That play, of course, was collision Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman made with New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis on an incomplete pass late in NFC championship game that went uncalled and helped send Rams to Super Bowl.

Even Robey-Coleman ackwledged afterward he got away with a foul, and league’s current head of officiating, Al Riveron, told Saints coach Sean Payton afterward call should have been made. Payton’s presence on NFL competition committee influenced offseason decision, by a landslide vote from owners, to put pass interference up for replay review for one year, wher called or t called on field.

re’s long been a hesitance to legislate penalties like this, for fear of making games take longer. problem so far in view of coaches, players, analysts and fans has t been a slowdown, though, but an apparently higher standard for pass interference in review room in New York than on fields around league.

“I was guilty, too, in my days. You had some play that happened that just seemed totally unfair, and you changed rule and n unintended consequences just came flying down highway,” Pereira said. “I think we’re seeing that here.”

Confusion, as with some of or recent high-profile officiating issues like process of a catch and roughing passer, has been prevailing me. Even NBC analyst Tony Dungy, famously mild-mannered former coach, complained about situation on Twitter this week while referencing Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants game on Monday night. He pleaded with NFL to change rule.

“You’re causing teams to lose timeouts, making your officiating department look inept, and making us fans feel stupid,” Dungy said.

Dungy’s tweet included a freezeframe of Cowboys cornerback Chudobie Awuzie smoring Giants tight end Evan Engram before ball arrived during an incompletion near goal line with Giants trailing by one score in fourth quarter. Giants coach Pat Shurmur, who has been undeterred in his challenge attempts, threw red flag for defensive pass interference. He was denied.

Zimmer watched an automatic replay review wipe out a Vikings touchdown pass at Green Bay on Sept. 15 when running back Dalvin Cook was flagged for offensive pass interference, ruled to have been blocking a defender more than a yard down field before ball arrived. y were forced to settle for a field goal in that 21-16 defeat.

Last week at Kansas City, Zimmer challenged a n-call during a completion by Chiefs, when wide receiver Sammy Watkins appeared to be guilty of that same type of offensive pass interference to Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks. review upheld n-call.

“We have seen plays that are clearly pass interference, that if y were called on field, y would be evaluated correctly, but y’re t called on field, and y’re t being added in replay, and I think that’s where frustration lies,” said Dean Blandi, who like Pereira left his perch as league’s officiating boss to be a rules analyst for Fox Sports.

NFL declined to make Riveron available for an interview.

“We did things that we needed to do to preserve integrity of game, to safeguard game in appropriate ways,” said Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who’s on competition committee with Payton.

Through first nine weeks of season, re were 63 pass interference replay reviews initiated, 26 for an offensive foul and 37 for a defensive foul. Only nine resulted in a reversal, with five of those via challenge. red flag has been dropped for pass interference 53 times, giving coaches a 9.4% success rate. That’s a whole lot of lost timeouts.

Here’s breakdown, as provided by NFL:

— Offensive pass interference called on field: eight coaches challenges with reversals, and three official-initiated reviews with two reversals.

— Offensive pass interference t called on field: 12 coaches challenges with one reversal, and three official-initiated reviews with two reversals.

— Defensive pass interference called on field: 10 coaches challenges with reversals, and one official-initiated review with reversals.

— Defensive pass interference t called on field: 23 coaches challenges with four reversals, and three official-initiated reviews with reversals.

future of rule, only enacted for 2019, is unclear. Unlike slow-motion replays in high definition on screens around country, of course, that put officials on field under constant scrutiny.

“It’s so tough for m, too. re’s so many things going on in each single play,” Chicago Bears tight end Trey Burton said. “You have to give m a lot of credit for what y’re able to do.”

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